Willowick attorney, Eastlake detectives to be honored for work on Northern Ohio cases

Several local officials will be honored for their exemplary service in court cases that had a significant impact on Northern Ohio.
“Each of these people represents the best of federal law enforcement,” Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said in a news release.
Willowick Council President Robert J. Patton, an assistant U.S. attorney, will receive the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his role in the Cuyahoga County corruption investigation. Seven other federal attorneys will receive the honor.
The investigation resulted in more than 60 convictions, including the former county commissioner, county auditor and two common pleas judges.
The case uncovered several pay-to-play bribery schemes in which public officials awarded jobs, contracts and other favors in exchange for cash, trips and other gifts. Former County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora’s 28-year prison sentence is believed to be the longest sentence handed out for a public corruption conviction. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service.
“I did the first jury corruption trial with (co-counsel) Antoinette Bacon,” Patton said. “It was a privilege to be part of the prosecution.”
Eastlake Detectives Ted Kroczak and Chris Bowersock are being honored with the IRS Commendation Award for their investigation into the St. Paul Croatian Federal Credit Union Investigation.
The now-defunct credit union was forced to liquidate in 2010 with a $170 million loss. The criminal investigation revealed a decade-long scheme in which the credit union’s Chief Financial Officer Anthony Raguz was convicted of making more than 1,000 fraudulent loans and payments in return for bribes, gifts and other kickbacks.
Eastlake Police Chief Larry Reik said he is proud of the detectives’ work.
“This investigation was started by Detective Kroczak who began a relationship through investigating another case,” Reik said in an email. “When some of the pertinent information surfaced, he continued to dig along with Detective Bowersock obtaining the information to lead the financial investigators to the breaking of the biggest credit union fraud in history.”
FBI Director James Comey will present the awards during a private ceremony in Cleveland Monday.